Town Square

Terrific World Music Day

Congratulations to Claude Ezran for organizing what is now an annual tradition here in Palo Alto, great job by the volunteers (myself included) in keeping things moving smoothly. Most importantly:

THANKS TO ALL THE PERFORMERS!

My personal favorite was the Flamenco dancing, and judging by the crowd, it was quite an attraction. And there were so many others, two numerous to name.

This event takes place in numerous cities around the world on the same day, as close to the summer solstice as possible. Hence its taking place June 17 this year.

Stanford commencement actually helped build the participation, and I saw many folks who clearly were here for someone's graduation, and then hit University Avenue to take in some of the performances. Not planned that way, but it worked out well. Those who expressed misgivings about how this all would work out with these two major events taking place on the same day had their concerns dispelled.

This event is the sort of thing that contributes to the character of Palo Alto.

This story contains 173 words.

If you are a paid subscriber, check to make sure you have
logged in.
Otherwise our system cannot recognize you as having full free access to our site.

If you are a paid print subscriber and haven't yet set up an online account,
click here
to get your online account activated.

Posted by Midtown resident
a resident of Midtown
on Jun 18, 2012 at 11:16 am

palo alto mom is right. It is celebrated on June 21st elsewhere in the world, which is on Thursday this year.

It is really unfortunate that it is taking place on Father's Day in Palo Alto. It makes it impossible for us to attend. I wish they did it on a different day. How about the following Sunday instead, if they don't want to do it during the week?

Stephen - I'm sure there were lots of families there - its a great family event. But those of us with Fathers in other towns or that are not terribly mobile or (in the case of my husband) have something else they would really like to do on Father's Day (like attending the US Open) would love to have it not on Father's Day. Hopefully next year it will not be on Father's Day and Stanford Graduation since the 21st is actually closer to the following weekend for the next few years.

Posted by Hmmm
a resident of East Palo Alto
on Jun 18, 2012 at 1:59 pm

I'd attend if it's not on Father's Day/Stanford Univ grad day. It makes sense to make it closer to the solstice, anyhow, which is still celebrated. Sheesh, instead of trying to cram it all into one day, spread it out!

Posted by Theresa
a resident of Crescent Park
on Jun 19, 2012 at 10:28 am

We've never been able to attend this event when it's on Father's Day. One family member was performing, which had an effect on our family's celebration of the dads.

Traffic around the event was a mess -- we had to drive around it en route to and from our family event. Having it the same day as Stanford's graduation didn't help since there are a lot of amateur Palo Alto drivers loose on the streets over the weekend. Combining street closures with the problems our visitors have understanding which streets run one-way made getting around a challenge.

It sure sounds like a fun event, though, and it would be nice if it was held on a day when so many in the community aren't otherwise engaged. Running it Thursday evening, the same day it's held around the world, would have been a lot of fun.

Posted by Mordecai
a resident of another community
on Jun 20, 2012 at 1:06 pm

As a performer for over its four year history, I love the crowds that attend the PA WMD celebrations. The number of those who stop to enjoy the music I create is a true indication of my contribution's value to the community and an honest compliment to me. The smiles in the crowd, the singing, whistling and clapping along in time is a measure of my audience's engagement. Their spontaneous dancing is a true pleasure to watch. Moments in this event are intense and intimate interactive exchanges in which we all play our parts. As Shakespeare commented, "The show is not the show but those who go."

And my three sons do not need a special day to honor me. They honor me frequently with their accomplishments and our special reunions throughout the year. Two of them are musicians who've created and perform their own original works. Perhaps they will be invited to perform next year. What a great way it will be to spend Fathers' Day.

The merchants and restaurants should also be thanked as they allow the street to be closed in order to accommodate this event. Many of the businesses do not benefit from the event as those attending aren;t there to shop, but they understand the importance of community so they support the event. Let's not overlook their contribution.

Don't miss out on the discussion!Sign up to be notified of new comments on this topic.

Email:

Post a comment

Posting an item on Town Square is simple and requires no registration. Just complete this form and hit "submit" and your topic will appear online.
Please be respectful and truthful in your postings so Town Square will continue to be a thoughtful gathering place for sharing community information
and opinion. All postings are subject to our TERMS OF USE, and may be deleted if deemed inappropriate by our staff.

We prefer that you use your real name, but you may use any "member" name you wish.

Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund
For the last 23 years, the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund has given away more than $4 million to local nonprofits serving children and families. When you make a donation, every dollar is automatically doubled, and 100% of the funds go directly to local programs. Itâ€™s a great way to ensure your charitable donations are working at home.